Cavaliers begin free agency with $18 million in salary cap space

The Cavaliers are full of surprises heading into the free-agent frenzy.

First of all, they decided not to extend a qualifying offer to veteran shooting guard Wayne Ellington, a league source confirmed.

Free agency begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday and the Cavs have in excess of $18 million in salary-cap space. Hoopsworld.com reported they were going to reach out to unrestricted free agent center Andrew Bynum, who missed the entire 2012-13 season with knee problems.

Cavs general manager Chris Grant will likely kick the tires on the 7-foot, 285-pound Bynum, who is expected to be ready for training camp. He's a quality player when healthy.

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It would be a major shock if the Cavs anted up for Bynum, who could be angling for a maximum contract.

Portland, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Golden State are other teams that might have interest in Bynum. Many of those teams, as well as the Los Angeles Lakers, also would like to sign Dwight Howard.

Bynum, 25, never made it on the court in Philadelphia last season after the Sixers traded for him last summer. The 76ers reportedly have no interest in bringing him back, but might be open to a sign-and-trade.

He'll be entering his eighth season in the NBA, the first seven with the Lakers. He's averaged 13.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks and shot 60.6 percent from the field in his career.

Another player the Cavs might also inquire about is Andre Iguodala, perhaps the top small forward available in free agency. He opted out of a $15 million deal with Denver this year to become unrestricted. The Cavs are not expected to pay that kind of money for him.

Cavs failed to give Ellington a $3.1 million qualifying offer, which makes him unrestricted. It's possible he could return at a lower rate.

They also didn't extend a qualifying offer to forward Omri Casspi, but that was expected.

After the Cavs drafted Russian swingman Sergey Karasev and Arizona State shooting guard Carrick Felix on Thursday, that made Ellington expendable. There are going to be only so many minutes behind starter Dion Waiters.

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University of Akron center Zeke Marshall (7-foot, 235 pounds) wasn't drafted on Thursday, but will play on the 76ers' summer-league team, a source confirmed.